Folding box or crate



Y. A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0B CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. Ia. I9I9.

'1,376,487 Patented Maya, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

anne/Mica A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE.

APPLxcATloN FILED APR.18,1919.

i.',5.76,4:8'7.y Patented May 3, 1921,

, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 2B' A. VON SCHLUEMBACH.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE. APPLICATION FILED APR. I8, 1919.

n a m wm. y M Sm ,n Mm e y 4M m m s y ZA m .y 9 ,VMWI MQW C I y ,Q y Huw8 2 wf m 4, W 6 7 8 e 1 79 2 UNITED STATES ADOLPH VON SCHLUEMBACH, OFALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE.

Application filed April 18, 1919.

To all 'whom t may concern/I:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH VON SCHLnnMnAoH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Altoona, county of Blair, and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes orCrates, of which the following` is specification.

My invention relates to folding boxes or crates, and particularly todevices of this character wherein the sides and ends are hingedlyconnected to the top element and the sides and ends have a slidingconnection with the bottom element.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device of the classmentioned in which the edges of the top and bottom sections shall lieclose together and flush when the crate is folded, and wherein the sidesand ends shall be perfectly vertical when the box is in expandedposition. A further object of my invention is to provide a folding boxor crate which shall be strong and durable to stand shi vping wheneither in its expanded or collapsed position, and which shall be ofsufficient strength to securely hold substantially any material whichcan be packed within the same. A further object of my invention is toprovide improved means for slidably connecting the lower portion of thesides to the bottom. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lith these objects in view, my invention consists generally in thevarious combinations and arrangements of par-ts, and in the details ofconstruction, hereinafter de-V scribed and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and inwhich- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the folding crateembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on substantially theline 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device in folded position.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the bottom elements towhich the sides are sldably connected.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a modifiedform of the device.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end of .Specicaton of LettersPatent.

Patented May 3, 1921.

serial No. 291,071.

the crate or box in expanded position and illustrating the metallicreinforcing elements.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of elements used in modiiedforms of the device.

Fig. 9 isa perspective view of the bottom reinforcing elements.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the interior upper corner of amodified form of box.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4, illustratinga modifiedform of said element.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of Fig. l1 upon an enlargedscale.

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the device illustratedin Fig. 12.

Figs. 14 and 15 are fragmentary perspective views of modified form ofthe said bottom element, and

Fig. 16 is a side elevationof a still further modification.

Referring now to the drawings, land 2 indicate generally the top andbottom, respectively, of the folding Abox or crate embodying myinvention, 3,73 the ends, and 4, 4 the sides thereof. In regard to thesides and ends, these may be of any general construction desiredaccording to the use to which the'device is to be put; that is, they maybe slatted as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 for use as a chicken crate orthe like, or may be solid walls as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 10,when the device is to be used as a packing, shipping, or storage box.With this understanding, shall hereinafter designate the device as acrate, it being understood that said terms shall include either solid orslatted construction, except when the specific construction is mentionedor described as such.

The top 1 comprises a pair of parallel lon" gitudinal members 5, 5, anda pair of transverse end members 6, 6. In the form of the deviceillustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the side elements 5 are of lesswidth vertically than the end member 6 and the sides 4 are hingedlyconnected to the members 5 so that the outer faces of the sides and saidmembers shall lie flush when the box is in expanded position, as shownclearly in Figs. 2 and 6. The hinge connection between the sides 4 andthe members 5 may take the form of ordinary hinges 7 as shown in Figs. 1and 2, particularly when the open crate construction is used, or mayconstitute dowel pins 8 let into the members 6, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 5. The difference in thevertical widths of the members 5and 6 is substantially equal, or slightly greater, than the thickness ofthe sides 4, so that when said sides fold inwardly the lower edges ofthe members 6 may rest upon the end frame members 9 of the bottom.VAlso, the portions of the members 6 extending below the lower edges ofthe members 5 provide for bearings for the dowels 8 when suchconstruction is employed. The end members 3 are hingedly connected tothe top 1 by dowels 10 having bearings in the side members 5 above thepivotal axis of the sides 4 so that said ends may swing upwardly againstthe top and then the sides fold against and under said ends. It will benoted that when the box is in expanded position the ends 3 rest betweenthe ends of the sides so as to hold the same locked in expandedposition.

The bottom 2 comprises a pair of end members 9 connected by a bottom 11and also by the metallic reinforcing framework 12. The members 9 areprovided with slots or runways. 13 in which projections 14 on the lowerends of the sides are adapted to travel. These projections arepreferably pins provided with antifriction rollers, and I also prefer toprovide washers 15 on the outer ends thereof which travel in enlargedouter portions 16 of the runways 13. See Fig. 4. The projections 14constitute means-for connecting the bottom to the upper portion ofthedevice. To fold the boX, the ends 3 are raised into the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, after which the lower portions of thesides are forced inwardly, the members 14 traveling in the runways 13,until the top 1 rests upon the bottom 2, as shown in Fig. 3. To expandthe box, the top is raised and the members 14 move outwardly in therunways 13 until they reach the outer ends thereof, the ends 3 eitherdropping or being moved downwardly into vertical position, lock thesides and form a rigid con-V struction. A closure 17 is provided whichis preferably rabbeted into the upper frame as shown clearly in Figs. 1,2, 5 and 6. Any means may be employed for connecting the closure to theupper frame, such as hinges 18.

The reinforcing member 12 for the bottom of the device preferablycomprises a pair of end channel members 19, 19, which embrace the outerand lower faces of the members 9, thereby closing the outer faces of therunways 13 and longitudinal members 2O connecting the same. The verticalportions of the angle members 19 are eX- tended the desired distancelalong the sides of the device and constitute stops to limit the outwardswing ofthe sides 4 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.Metal angle brackets 22 are provided to reinforce the corners of the topframe. These are shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6.

If preferred, the vertical edges of the sides members may be providedwith metal reinforcing elements 23 or 24, as shown v in Figs. 7 and 8,respectively, and these are provided with outwardly projecting pins 8 attheir upper ends and 14at their lower ends, to constitute pivot dowelsat their upper ends and sliding members at their lower ends to engage inthe runways 13. As shown in Fig. 7, these elements may be of simpleangl@l irons or they may be channel members as shown in Fig. 8, theiruse being dependent largely upon the size of the boX and the use towhich the same is to be put.

In Figs. 11 to 13 inclusive I have shown a modied form of the endelements 9 of the bottom frame. As shown therein, said element is formedof a metal strip bent to form a horizontal bottom 9a, vertical ends 9",horizontal upper members 9C terminating at the center where they arebent downwardly as at 9d. The lower ends of the portions 9d terminate insemi-cylindrical portions 9e which project through an aperture 9fin thelower portion 9. The semi-cylin- ,drical portions 9e are complementaryto each other and are threaded to receive a nut 9g, the whole forming arigid construction. This arrangement provides a pair of runways 13 forthe members 14.

As shown in Fig. 14, the member 9 may be formed of a casting slotted asat 13L and provided with a pair of horizontal flanges 25 to receive theends of the floor 11 between them. A similar construction` is shown inFig. 15 except that the same is formed of sheet metal bent to form anupright flange 26 slotted at 132L and formed with the horizontal flanges25.

A still further modification of the element 9 is shown in Fig. 16. Inthis form of the device said element is formed of upper and lower metalbars 27 spaced apart by ferrules 28 and connected by rivets 29 extendingthrough said ferrules.

In Fig. 10 of the drawings, I have illus trated a modied form of thedevice wheres in the elements 5 and 6 of the upper frame aresubstantially the same depth and the ends and sides 3 and 4respectively, are 120 pivotally connected tothe upper frame by the dowelpins'30 and 31. I

I claim:

1. A folding boX or crate comprising a top and a bottom co-extensive inlength and 125 width, sides hingedly connected to said top and having asliding connection with the bottom, and ends hingedly connected to thetop and swinging downwardly between said sides, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a folding box or crate, a top frame comprising side and endmembers, a bottom, sides hingedly connected to the top and adapted tolie directly beneath said side members of the top when the box is inexpanded position with the outer faces of said members and sides in thesame vertical plane, a sliding connection between the lower ends of saidsides and said bottom, and ends hingedly connected to said top andadapted to swing downwardly between the said sides, substantially asdescribed.

3. A folding box or crate comprising a top and a bottom co-extensive inlength and width, sides hingedly connected to said top, said bottomhaving end members provided with slots, projections on the lower ends ofsaid sides working in said slots, members vclosing the outer sides ofsaid slots, and ends hingedly connected to the top and swingingdownwardly between the said sides, substantially as described.

et. A folding box or crate comprising a top and a bottom coextensive inlength and width, sides hingedly connected to said top,

said bottom having end portions provided with slots, projections on thelower ends of said sides working in said slots, bottom brace members,said brace members having flanges closing the outer sides of said slotsand ends hingedly connected to said top and swinging downwardly betweenthe said sides, substantially as described.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which said flanges are extendedalong the sides of the bottom, substantially as described.

6. In a folding box or crate, a top comprising a frame formed of sideand end members having their upper edges in the same plane, the loweredges of the end members extending below the lower edges of the sidemembers of the frame, sides for the box hingedly mounted beneath theside members of the frame, a bottom, a sliding connection between thelower ends of said sides and said bottom, and ends adapted to swingbetween the said sides, substantially as described.

7. In a folding box or crate, a top and a bottom, a pair of sides,reinforcing elements on the vertical edges of said sides, hinge memberson one end of said reinforcing elements, projections on the oppositeends of said elements, said bottom being provided with slots to receivesaid projections, and ends swingingly mounted between said sides,substantially as described.

8. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which the end members of thebottom are formed of metal strips slotted to receive the projections onthe sides, substantially as described.

9. A device as set forth in claim 3 in which said slotted end members ofthe bottom are each formed of a metal strip extending horizontallysubstantially the width of the bottom, then bent upwardly and theninwardly to substantially the center, and then downwardly terminating incomplementary semi-cylindrical portions, the bottom portion beingapertured to receive said semicylindrical portions, and a nut threadedon said portions, substantiallv as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPH VON `SCI-ILUEMBACH.

Witnesses:

W. W. RUDIsiLL, A. M. HABRoWsxI.

